May 26, 2012

Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort earns 2012 Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence | Matava - Fijis Premier Eco Adventure Resort

Honoured as a Highly Rated Resort as Reviewed by Travellers on the World’s Largest Travel Site

KADAVU, FIJI – 24th May 2012 – Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort today announced that it has received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award. The accolade, which honours hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on TripAdvisor, and is extended to qualifying businesses worldwide. Lees than 10 percent of accommodations listed on TripAdvisor receive this prestigious award.

To qualify for the Certificate of Excellence, businesses must maintain an overall rating of four or higher, out of a possible five, as reviewed by travellers on TripAdvisor. Additional criteria include the volume of reviews received within the last 12 months.

“Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort is delighted to receive a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence,” said Stuart Gow, Director at Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort. “We strive to offer our customers a memorable eco-resort experience, and this accolade is evidence that our hard work is translating into positive traveller reviews on TripAdvisor.”

“TripAdvisor is pleased to honor exceptional businesses for consistent excellence, as reviewed by travellers on the site,” said Christine Petersen, president of TripAdvisor for Business. “The Certificate of Excellence award gives highly rated establishments around the world the recognition they deserve. From exceptional accommodations in Beijing to remarkable restaurants in Boston, we want to applaud these businesses for offering TripAdvisor travellers a great customer experience.”

About Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort

Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort, is an eco adventure getaway offering you a fun and unique blend of cultural experiences and adventure activities in the environmentally pristine and remote island of Kadavu in the Fiji Islands. Matava – Fiji Premier Eco Adventure Resort is a PADI Dive 5 Star Resort as well as a Project AWARE GoEco Operator. Matava offers accommodation for up to 22 guests in lush tropical surroundings in traditional thatched Fijian ‘bures’ with hardwood polished floors, louvre windows and private decks offering privacy, comfort and superb ocean views

About TripAdvisor®

is the world’s largest travel site, enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools. TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 50 million unique monthly visitors*, and over 60 million reviews and opinions. The sites operate in 30 countries worldwide, including China under daodao.com. TripAdvisor also includes TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to TripAdvisor’s millions of monthly visitors.

TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) manages and operates websites under 19 other travel media brands, and together the sites attract more than 69 million unique monthly visitors**. TripAdvisor’s travel media brands include www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com,

www.sniqueaway.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.travel-library.com, www.travelpod.com, www.virtualtourist.com, www.whereivebeen.com, and www.kuxun.cn.

mediarelationsta@tripadvisor.com

*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, Worldwide, January 2012

**Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Inc. and its subsidiaries, Worldwide, January 2012

SOURCE TripAdvisor
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Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort

Matava – Fiji’s Premier Eco Adventure Resort earns 2012 Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence

May 11, 2012

The Bamboo Spa - a sanctuary on the island of Kadavu | Matava - Fijis Premier Eco Adventure Resort

Matava - Fiji's Premier eco Adventure Resort is proud to have opened the first full service Pure Fiji Spa on the island of Kadavu.

The Bamboo Spa is the first and only full service Spa facility on Kadavu. We decided to partner with Pure Fijias our environmental policies and missions are so much in line.

We are proud to have Ms Channel Joy join our management team as our Spa Manager and Senior Beauty Therapist since opening. Chanel has been a professional in the spa industry in Fiji since the 1990's and was one of the designers and managers of the Pure Fiji Spa at Pure fiji;s headquarters in Fiji.

Matava Resort is proud to have installed this Spa purely using the alternative power already available at the resort. All water heating and lighting is supplied by purely solar systems.

The Bamboo Spa

- a sanctuary on the island of Kadavu

Step lightly over the gateway to relaxation - a symbolic beginning to your journey through this oasis - leaving behind cares and the outside world as if on a far distant shore. Each guest's journey is unique...

Chanel and client in the Frangipani Room

As part of our full body rituals, your path begins with another soothing experience rich with symbolic meaning - a warm foot soak in fragrant coconut milk bath... a welcoming and cleansing gesture which will leave you feeling serene.

Choose your path through this sanctuary, with a promising selection of natural treatments lovingly made with uniquely Fijian plant extracts - heavenly massages and wraps, miraculous facials, and the most luxurious of spa pedicures and manicures.

Indulge your body with one of our unique signature treatments; experience all of our world-class facilities for a total spa escape and ritual.

With flowers freshly picked from the Resort's gardens and the exotic fragrances emanating from the spa’s entrance and hidden gardens you realise you’re in for a truly unique experience. The tranquil surroundings and discreet staff lend a sense of peace and harmony in balance with nature.

Not only will skin and body be refreshed and revived - but every choice on this journey will leave your heart a little lighter, your spirit a little brighter until we at the Bamboo Spa welcome you once again.

The Bamboo Spa features the nourishing products of Pure Fiji.

Pure Fiji is committed to quality and embodies a passion for the beautiful people, traditions, and environments of Fiji.

Pure Fiji employs nearly 500 people from seven rural villages, a human network that produces cold pressed nut oils and natural packaging materials. Hand-made paper made from natural fibers, traditional masi bark cloth, woven baskets, and nut oil production provide these communities with sustainable income while perpetuating honored traditions and unique skills.

Pure coconut oil, the base ingredient for all of Pure Fiji's products, has been used for hair care, skin care, and massage for generations. Pure Fiji's natural bath and beauty products include luxurious body butter, hydrating body lotion, coconut sugar rub, shampoo and conditioner, coconut milk bath soak, and nourishing body oil.

Pure Fiji

discover the south pacific secret for beautiful skin and hair

For centuries South Pacific and Fiji islanders have used pure coconut oil and flower extracts to nourish, moisturize and beautify both skin and hair. Pure Fiji brings you the best of these traditional blends for today's natural bath and body care. Discover intensive hydrating body oils, creamy coconut lotions, nourishing hand made soaps and fresh sugar scrubs that will get your skin glowing.

Protecting the Environment & Reducing our Carbon Footprint

Pure Fiji is committed to sustainable manufacturing and reducing its carbon footprint. Botanical ingredients such as the blend of nut oils are wild-harvested

This reduces our requirement for energy dependent irrigation and fertilization methods thus limiting our carbon impact. Bottles used in packaging are PET which are an environmentally responsible choice as they require 24% less energy to produce and generate 40% less solid waste than glass bottles. Gift packaging is made by hand using natural fibers such as handmade paper or in delightful woven baskets.

What are we doing right now to improve conservation?

Eco-smart production

Sustainable Raw Materials

Botanical ingredients produced in Fiji are harvested sustainably without impact on the plants themselves or the surrounding environment.

Processing of several of the ingredients used in formulations rely on hand-operated cold pressing of nuts into oil. This limits the carbon impact on the environment while creating employment opportunities for rural communities.

Some of the methods employed in processing the ingredients use a natural source of energy such as passive solar dryers. This eliminates the need to use bio-mass, electric resistance, or liquid fuel-fired heaters.

By-products from coconut husks and the shell material from oil bearing nuts are recycled as mulch and fertiliser.

The structures which support these enterprises are often made of local, environmentally low-impact materials such as plaited sago palm roofing. Such buildings are bright, airy, and cool, eliminating the need for artificial lighting or ventilating. Some suppliers of the processed botanicals minimise any environmental impact by running generators etc on natural, unrefined coconut oil.

Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort, is an eco adventure getaway offering you a fun and unique blend of cultural experiences and adventure activities in the environmentally pristine and remote island of Kadavu in the Fiji Islands. Matava - Fiji Premier Eco Adventure Resort is a PADI Dive 5 Star Resort as well as a Project AWARE GoEco Operator. Matava offers accommodation for up to 22 guests in lush tropical surroundings in traditional thatched Fijian 'bures' with hardwood polished floors, louvre windows and private decks offering privacy, comfort and superb ocean views.

www.Matava.com

Pure Fiji is a natural bath and body products manufacturer which caters to the exclusive spa and salon industry. Founded 12 years ago by Gaëtane Austin and her daughter Andrée, Pure Fiji began research, development, and production of their uniquely Fijian products around the family kitchen table. Organics and natural products are popular now, but Pure Fiji has always appreciated the numerous benefits of coconut oil and the myriad of botanical and herbal curatives and remedies that have been utilized by the Fijian people for hundreds of years. Having pioneered the use of local nuts and botanical extracts into true South Pacific therapies, their spa located within the grounds of the factory premises serves as a invaluable research and development tool for both the products and the uniquely Pacific spa therapies which complement them.

www.PureFiji.com

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The Bamboo Spa - a sanctuary on the island of Kadavu | Matava - Fijis Premier Eco Adventure Resort:

The Bamboo Spa - a sanctuary on the island of Kadavu

Apr 7, 2012

FAD for Bite Me Gamefishing Charters

Our guide Alex was out yesterday installing a FAD and tossed a popper for a few minutes on the way home. This GT went close to 30kg. I am told he is still smiling today....

Mar 31, 2012

Weather Situation at Matava, March 2012

A message to all friends and families of the Paradise Dive Group and other guests staying with us.

All of our guests are safe and well.

Many of our guests are attempting to contact their loved ones at home.

You may contact any of our guests via email at info@matava.com if you wish to call you may call on +679-603-0685.

We will continue to put up posts as information comes to hand.

The guests staying at the resort may be here for a couple of more days, depending on when flights can depart Nadi and land in Kadavu.

See also our Twitter feed and Facebook page for instant info.

Weather Situation at Matava, March 2012 | Matava - Fijis Premier Eco Adventure Resort:

Mar 9, 2012

Feb 2012 GT Popping & Jigging Update

GT Popping

So far this summer the bite has been reasonably good on the calm summer days but relatively quiet on choppy days. With all the January flooding on the main island there is a lot of debris in the water and the GTs are not consistently hunting in the barrier reef breakers. On some days we have been catching more GTs on jigs than on poppers....

Matt from Exmouth Tackle World caught this cracker of a Yellowfin Tuna using his a Daiwa Saltiga and custom popping rod. The fish ate an assist hook rigged stickbait over the Kadavu Seamount.

Depwater Jigging

We are getting the usualy range of species jigging the barrier reef drop-offs. Plenty of Dogtooth Tuna but so far this season, no real monsters to brag about !

A MONSTER Coral Trout for Aaron from Australia

Jigged up Grouper for Paul

Sometimes the GTs go deep and we get quite a few whist jigging for other species

Big Rosy Jobfish on the Ono Drop-off

as well as the usual Long Nose Emperors

Feb 25, 2012

BlueWater Magazine on sale Feb 29th 2012

BlueWater Magazine, new issue out on sale Feb 29th 2012

FISHING FEATURES CAIRNS DELIVERS A CRACKER SEASON
During the final months of 2011, this famous fishery for the world’s largest black marlin lived up to its reputation, delivering one of the best runs of huge fish in years. Kelly Fallon spent the season among the action. Her report and spectacular photos whet your appetite for the season ahead.

BOB & DOLLY DYER – AUSTRALIA’S KING AND QUEEN OF GAMEFISHING – PART 2
In this final installment of the incredible tale of the Dyers, gamefishing historian John McIntyre describes their adventures with marlin, particularly their part in the discovery of the Cairns giant black marlin grounds. Their extraordinary achievements were matched only by their ability to promote them.

PORT STEPHENS INSHORE BONANZA
This gamefishing hotspot has recently been boiling with marlin. Discover how to beat the crowds to find your own billfish nirvana.

GAME CHANGER – AFTCO RDT
This remarkable product is set to revolutionise gamefishing by providing accurate readings of the drag tension on your line.

PREY SPECIES – SLIMY MACKEREL
This mighty baitfish is, in essence, a miniature tuna. They are also a vital food source for predatory species – and exceptional livebait.

FIN-NOR MARQUESA REELS
Fin-Nor’s new 2-Speed castable lever drag reels have been designed for performance fishing with even heavy braided lines.

LURE LORE – PART 8
Sneaky leaders for wary tuna Tuna are smarter than the average gamefish and demand special techniques to ensure success. Classic Tomes Tales of Tahitian Waters Zane Grey’s classic describes his three expeditions to these virginal waters during the 1920s.

CREATURES OF THE DEEP
Phyllosoma larvae Guess which tasty treat these truly bizarre-looking creatures eventually metamorphose into!

SMOKE AND MIRRORS
Black Bart ‘San Sal Candy’ lure This versatile lure has low water drag for use with light tackle and also handles speeds to over 20kts.

BOAT FEATURES

WHEN A BOAT BARGAIN ISN’T
A must-read article before you consider buying your next boat. Since the Global Financial Crisis and the meltdown of the US boat market there has been much talk about the bargains to be had by importing from overseas. The reality for many has been a minefield of heartache. Find out why...

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MARINE GENERATORS
Essential information to save you money and help you select the best generator for your boat.

THE SMOOTH TOUGHIE
Vindicator 720 This tough, surprisingly quiet plate-aluminium fishing boat has been crafted with loving care in Gympie.

BlueWater Magazine

Gamefishing Fiji: BlueWater Magazine on sale Feb 29th 2012:

'via Blog this'

Jan 26, 2012

GT Popping & Jigging -January 2012 Fishing Report

The 2012 Summer season of GT Popping started with a bit of a damp fizzle. Whether it was the excssive rainfall and freshwater run-off from the island or the often sizable swells and breezy days, the GTs were not especially helpful. Some days we would get a few, some days they would follow lures but not bite, some days they were just invisible. In 8 days of popping and jigging we managed to scrape together about 35 GTs of various sizes, the biggest of which was around 30kg (sorry, didn't get a pic of that one)

Angler Grant from South Africa with an unusual Black coloured GT

Sebile Stickshad in blue chrome

One thing was very clear though, right now the GTs are definitely much more interested in stickbaits than poppers. We did get some action on the Buffalo poppers but the stickbaits were outfishing all the poppers 5 to 1.
Top of the stickbait list - The Sebile stickshad. These lures in various sizes were just dynamite. Also worth a mention were the ASWB Reefs Edge floating Mamool stickbaits, Adhek Goby and Penipen (from Bali), the Bobara and dogtooth (Nomad or Heru) and working wery well, the Jai which our recent anglers sourced fom Elite Tackle. (I only mention that as I have heard nothing but good things about this store.)